The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has announced a countrywide protest on Friday against the blasts targeting the party’s chief.

Over 13 people were killed when a blast rocked the convoy of Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Charsada. The JUI-F leader had escaped a similar attack on Wednesday in Swabi.

Demonstrations will be staged and rallies taken out after Friday prayers across the country. The Jamaat-e-Islami Sindh has also supported the protest call.

JI Ameer in Sindh Maulana Asadullah Bhutto, while condemning the attack on Fazl, termed it a conspiracy of “imperialist forces” to harass religious leaders for their struggle against the United States.

JUI-F activists also staged a sit in on MA Jinnah Road on Thursday for about an hour chanting slogans against the government, causing a massive gridlock. They were carrying placards and banners inscribed with anti-American slogans.

The JUI-F also took out a rally which started from Binnori Town Mosque in Gurumandir and culminated at Numaish.

Thousands of enraged activists gathered on MA Jinnah Road. They were especially critical of the Khyber Pakhtoonkhawa government’s role. They criticised the KP government, saying that the JUI-F’s victory in by-elections could not be digested by the provincial government. JUI-F supporters believed it was not a suicide attack, adding the bomb was planted.

JUI-F chief in Sindh Qari Usman Sindh said during the protest that the KP government was responsible for the attacks on the party’s leader. He said these cowardly acts would not deter the JUI-F from its struggle.

The party’s Secretary General in Sindh Aslam Ghorui blamed the Raymond Davis network for the attacks, adding that Maulana’s opposition to the release of Davis was the reason behind such cowardly acts.

Addressing the rally, JI leader and former member Sindh Assembly Nasrullah Shaji condemned the attack, terming it a cowardly act. Such incidents, he said, were aimed at creating anarchy in the country. Maulana Umer Sadiq and Abdul Karim Abid also spoke on the occasion.

The JUI-F leaders said thousands of their activists were ready to sacrifice their lives for the party’s chief, adding that they would foil all conspiracies against the JUI-F with courage and determination. They demanded of the government to hold a high-level inquiry into the incidents and award exemplary punishment to the culprits.

They said enemies wanted to kill their party chief as he was the main obstacle in implementation of US policies in the country.

They said such incidents had proved that the government had failed to provide protection and security to people and political leaders.

They accused the KP government of creating anarchy in the province and the country, claiming the government had given a free hand to CIA and Blackwater agents to kill political figures opposing drone attacks.